Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move, as an amendment to the motion moved by the minister, the following—and I have copies of it if anyone wants:

(1) Before paragraph (1), insert:

(1A) notwithstanding standing order 31, at 8 pm on 26 October, the bill being called on for further consideration;

(1B) any division called for from 7.30 pm until adjournment being deferred until the first opportunity on Thursday, 27 October;

(1C) if any Member draws the attention of the Speaker to the state of the House from 7.30 pm until adjournment, the Speaker announcing that he will count the House at the first opportunity on Thursday, 27 October, if the Member then so desires;

Just briefly, the intent of this is to preserve the half-hour adjournment speeches that we have. That's important because this is the first adjournment post the budget, and, over the last couple of parliaments, it's been the case that the crossbenchers especially have used that opportunity to respond to some of the matters that have been raised in the budget. For many of us, it's our first chance to do so in parliament. So this preserves that half hour. I will certainly be availing myself of that, should the Speaker give me the call, and, whilst I would hope that every member is going to be here, and I would love it if they were, I don't want to compel them to have to be here. So I think it's appropriate—especially if we are now going to be sitting later as well—that divisions and quorums are deferred. That has previously been part of recommendations to the House about what happens when we are going to be sitting late, and I think it's appropriate that that occur on this occasion as well.

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